A group, DiamondHeart Initiatives, has called on relevant authorities to extend the tenure of Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Sylvester Nwakuche, by two years. This call was made by the executive director of the organisation, Comrade Ikechukwu Norbert, in a statement. The proposed extension aims to provide continuity for ongoing reforms in the correctional service.
The reforms include parole and non-custodial corrections, rehabilitation and reintegration, correctional agriculture, vocational development, and staff welfare. According to Norbert, the proposed extension is fundamentally about continuity of reform, not continuity for an individual. He emphasized that continuity can provide the stability required to consolidate important programmes that have already commenced.
DiamondHeart Initiatives cited the release of 10 parolees in Abia State in June 2026 as one of the developments that require further consolidation. Additionally, the service has accessed more than 12,263 hectares of arable land for correctional agriculture. This initiative can support rehabilitation, vocational training, and skills development.
Norbert stated that the proposed extension should be time-bound and subject to clear performance objectives, measurable deliverables, and periodic assessment. He emphasized that continuity should not be viewed as an entitlement for any individual but as an opportunity to complete, evaluate, and institutionalize reforms that are in the national interest.
The organisation commended the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, and President Bola Tinubu for their roles in the correctional sector. DiamondHeart Initiatives urged the authorities to consider a lawful mechanism for the proposed two-year continuation. The objective is to sustain ongoing reforms and strengthen their institutionalization.
Sylvester Nwakuche's tenure is scheduled to end on November 27, 2026. The organisation emphasized that any decision on the tenure of the Controller-General must be taken by the competent authorities in line with the applicable legal and constitutional framework.
The group seeks to ensure that important programmes in the correctional service are not disrupted. The proposed extension aims to allow for the completion and evaluation of ongoing reforms.
Key points
- The proposed extension of Nwakuche's tenure aims to provide continuity for ongoing reforms in the correctional service.
- The reforms include parole and non-custodial corrections, rehabilitation and reintegration, correctional agriculture, vocational development, and staff welfare.
- The proposed extension should be time-bound and subject to clear performance objectives, measurable deliverables, and periodic assessment.
